Christmas markets in Hannover

Numerous Christmas markets spread the Christmas spirit in the city on the River Leine. In the historic Old Town and around the Marktkirche the traditional Christmas market beckons with 170 stalls in an atmospheric ambience. The historic Christmas village, where you can dive into the medieval lives of glass blowers, potters and chandlers is fascinating. Another highlight is the Finnish Christmas village on Ballhofplatz with a Lapland tent, Finnish specialities and crafts. Discover two more Christmas markets: at the main station and in the Lister Meile. By turning the wishing ring at the Oskar Winter fountain in the middle of the fir wood on Holzmarkt, your wishes will be fulfilled in the wishing well wood. A delight for the eyes and ears is the varied stage programme. Children’s eyes go wide before the puppet actors, glass painters, fairytale tellers and on the merry-go-rounds. They become little bakers of their own in the Christmas bakery. Hannover awaits you in the glow of Christmas. Let yourself be abducted on a tour through the Christmas ambience by local guides.

A couple of years ago a very wealthy friend of mine, who owns an work of art by French artist Niki de St.-Phalle, told me included Hannover in a trip to Europe just to see Nikki's art in town. I had totally forgotten this until I came to Hannover and found out that Niki's works are all over the place. There are three Nanas in the Sculpture Mile downtown and an ancient grotto at the Herrenhauser Gardens was redone by Niki, who filled with her Nanas, a colorful Ganesha and a myriad of kaleidoscopic mirrors. Before her death, she donated her private collection to Hannover's Sprengel Museum, and will appear in the new wing due to open late in 2016.

This is one of three buxom, colourful Nanas on Leibnizufer that Niki de Saint Phalle sculpted for Hannover in 1974.
Niki de Saint Phalle is the first and so far only woman to receive the Freedom of the City of Hannover and a friend of the town for thirty years.
Initially met with intense public dislike , the 'buxom girls' are now proud mascots of the city and really stand out beautifully against the backdrop of the old medieval architectural style of the Aldstadt.
Combine your trip to the Nanas with a visit to the Saturday fleamarket ( 9am - 4pm ) which is the oldest flea markets in Germany.